Acting as a Partner to Support Airports Growth

To meet the ever-increasing passenger demands at the two northern Virginia airports, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) was created in 1987 through an act of Congress.

The mission of this entity is to plan, provide and actively manage world-class access to the global aviation system in a way that anticipates and serves the needs of the National Capital area. Since 1988, WSP has been continuously retained by MWAA as a partner firm in the Parsons Management Consultants (PMC) joint venture to provide comprehensive program management services for capital development programs at the Ronald Reagan Washington National and Washington Dulles International Airports. Given our team’s performance and the long-term relationship developed, PMC was re-awarded program management consultancy in 2003 based on a competitive selection process initiated by MWAA. This contract ran through July 2009, with one-year extensions, and was ultimately completed in October 2015.

The team’s 27-year relationship with MWAA demonstrated a strong commitment to the program, a focus on a team approach to all work performed and the responsiveness to the client’s needs throughout the program.

Two-phased Approach

Phase 1 development included the following projects at both airports

Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA)
Scope of work included: a new three-level, 1,000,000-square-foot, 35-gate terminal; rehabilitating and expanding the original terminal; expanding and upgrading the utility system; replacing on-grade parking with 4,300- and 2,700-space parking structures; building a new roadway system for improved access and recirculation; improving runway and taxiway systems; constructing a covered access from new terminal facilities to existing Metro station fare card plazas; air cargo facilities; constructing underground pedestrian tunnel to provide access from original terminal to south parking structure; new fuel farm with 3.4 million gallons of capacity providing hydrant fuelling to new terminals; new rental car facility; new ATCT and TRACON; and renovation of the historic main terminal.

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Scope of work included: doubling the size of the Saarinen Terminal; a new runway and reconstruction of existing runways; new ATCT; new midfield concourses; existing concourse renovations; new baggage basement; baggage handling facilities; new 2,800 passenger-per-hour Federal Inspection Service facility; an underground people mover system connecting the terminal with midfield concourses; new ARFF; two pedestrian tunnels and a landside parking structure; land acquisition and relocation of affected facilities; new cargo buildings; perimeter security and access gates; inline baggage screening devices; major utility building expansion; numerous airline relocations; expansion and upgrade of the utility system and a new utility building; stormwater management facilities; upgrade of the Multi-User Flight Information Display System; new parking structures; new and rehabilitated surface parking lots; roadway improvements/expansion; apron and taxiway improvements/expansion; new apron paving and hydrant fuelling system; new fuel farm; and a new ramp control tower.

Phase 2 Capital Development Projects (D2 Developments

The Dulles Development Program (D2) resulted in the construction of landside and airside facilities with the capacity to accommodate growth in passenger traffic and airport operations for years to come. The major D2 projects were designed to improve the travelling experience and accommodate increased use of the airport.

Helping Deliver One of the Largest Capital Improvement Programs

The original Capital Development Program was completed in 1999 at a program budget of USD 2 billion. In 2000, the Authority commenced a new USD 4.2 billion capital construction program, commonly known as d2 Dulles Development Program, which grew to USD 7.1 billion with approximately USD 3.1 billion completed. The development works at these airports are one of the largest ongoing capital improvement programs in the world. A total of USD 4.9 billion has been expended so far at the two airports on 165 design and 484 construction contracts from 1988 through 2008.

In total, PMC has served as an effective asset to MWAA, helping to set up more than 400 projects at the two airports since 1988, with a total value of construction work in place of over USD 9 billion. The success of this program has resulted in on-time performance and scheduled delivery of projects under construction that was being performed while full operations continued at both airports. This provided a challenge to the joint venture team to minimize inconvenience to the traveling public.

At some time during the program, we provided five departmental managers for the program to lead the design management, construction management, project controls, quality assurance and safety management efforts.